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New York Gov. Cuomo calls for FAA to ground Boeing 737 Max

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) called on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to reconsider its decision not to ground the Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft after two fatal crashes in recent months.

“We recognize that federal law places responsibility for air safety decisions on the federal government. But more than a dozen governments around the world have already grounded the 737 Max, and the FAA should urgently consider the basis on which those governments have acted — and move decisively to assure that the public’s safety is protected,” Cuomo said in a statement.

Pressure has mounted on the FAA and the Trump administration to ground the aircraft, though neither have given any indications they intend to do so.

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"The FAA continues to review extensively all available data and aggregate safety performance from operators and pilots of the Boeing 737 MAX. Thus far, our review shows no systemic performance issues and provides no basis to order grounding the aircraft," acting FAA Administrator Daniel Elwell said in a statement Tuesday.

"Airplanes are becoming far too complex to fly," Trump tweeted. "Pilots are no longer needed, but rather computer scientists from MIT. I see it all the time in many products. Always seeking to go one unnecessary step further, when often old and simpler is far better."

"Split second decisions are needed, and the complexity creates danger," he continued. "All of this for great cost yet very little gain. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want Albert Einstein to be my pilot. I want great flying professionals that are allowed to easily and quickly take control of a plane!"

The European Union and nearly a dozen countries outside the body have grounded the Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft after the Ethiopia crash, which followed an incident five months ago over Indonesia that killed nearly 200 people.